Brazil’s bonkers calendar gets a bit crazier

Good morning and welcome back to the Brazil Sports newsletter. This week, we take a look at the mind-boggling calendar of the Brazilian football season, plus there is news that 17 of Brazil’s top 20 clubs have bad credit. Also, there is the latest from the world championships in athletics and gymnastics, and all the week’s football action. Happy reading!

Brazil’s bonkers calendar gets a bit crazier

The Brazilian football confederation (CBF) announced the calendar for the 2020 season, and it’s stunningly bad.

Fifa dates. In response to fan outrage over meaningless international friendlies coinciding with important club matches, the CBF pledged that as of 2020, the Brazilian league would pause for designated Fifa dates, as is the norm the world’s major leagues. While the new calendar does, in fact, include no league matches on the same day as international games, there are numerous occasions where Brazil’s biggest clubs will be forced to play less than 24 hours after national team matches.

Copa America. Then there’s the Copa América. Yes, the Copa América. Again. For $ome rea$on which this humble journalist cannot possibly comprehend, the South American football confederation (Conmebol) has scheduled another edition of the continent-wide international tournament, despite already playing it in 2015, 2016 and again this year.

The problem? The Brazilian championship will not stop throughout the month-long tournament, and a grand total of nine matchdays (almost a quarter of the league season) will be held during the international competition.

Hypothetical. Let us say that after signing a new contract, Grêmio’s exciting winger Everton decides to remain in Brazil for the 2020 season. On good form, there is a significant chance he will become a regular fixture in Tite’s national team squad selections. If this is the case, he could realistically miss a grand total of 12 league matches (one-third of the season) as well as the final of the Copa do Brasil.

Why so crowded?...